Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s billionaire owner, has failed to land his
preferred target for permanent manager after Pep Guardiola, the former
Barcelona coach courted by the Russian for three years, agreed to join
Bayern Munich.

The Bundesliga leaders revealed on their website yesterday afternoon — hours
before Chelsea threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Southampton at
Stamford Bridge — that the 41-year-old has signed a three-year deal to
replace Jupp Heynckes when the veteran coach retires at the end of the
season.

“We are very pleased we have succeeded in bringing Pep Guardiola, the football
expert, to Bayern,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,